Spicy (16 page)

Reece

It’s been five weeks since I watched Callie
drive away from me in the cab. I was pissed and hurt that she didn’t trust me
enough to be with me regardless of Dal and it took me a couple of days to get over
myself, and realize that it was me keeping silent while Dal trashed her that
hurt Callie. I was a bastard for that and as soon as we arrived back at my
apartment, I told Dal not to say another word about my girl, ex-girl – oh
fuck!

After letting Dal, who I really shouldn’t
be listening to, talk me into waiting for Callie to come back to me instead of
going chasing after her, I had to face Donovan. Yeah, that didn’t go down too
well especially after three weeks had gone by and he informed me that she’d gone
home. To say I’d gone on a drinking binge is an understatement. I just thank
God that I hadn’t chose to lose myself in other girls – no way did I want
to do that, not if I wanted to go after her.

When Thalia found out my plans to go get my
girl, she told me to leave her alone because I’ve caused her enough hurt and
upset to last her a lifetime, but I’m not too sure I’m capable of doing that.
She’s mine and no matter what I’ve promised Dal in the past, I need to break it
and tell Callie the truth about her. I just hope it all works itself out
because I’ve screwed up enough with Callie and when I win her over this time
nothing and no one is going to come between us.

My mind made up, I need to make
arrangements to leave for a few days or longer if I need to because I’m not
coming back unless Callie is with me. Coming back alone is not an option.

Grabbing my bag from the shelf above the
closet, I throw it onto the bed and retrieve some shirts from the dresser along
with some shorts. That should do, but maybe another pair of jeans.

“Going somewhere?” Dal asks me, dropping
her bag in the doorway.

I pause. “What are you doing here?” She’d
gone back home after the disaster of a weekend and I hadn’t really spoken to
her since. Had no interest really because I blamed her for taking part in my
girl leaving. Yeah, I’m an ass and know deep down that I should have defended
her, but I’d had enough and just wanted the night to end. And it did, just not
the way I’d have preferred.

“I’m going after Callie.” I toss some clean
socks into my bag, knowing she isn’t going to like what I’m doing. “She’s in
here, Dal,” I cover my heart with my hand while glaring at her and see her eyes
widen, “and I’m not prepared to lose her without a fight.”

“Why? What’s so special about her? You’ve
been with lots of girls, why are you chasing this one? Ah, it’s the chase.
Usually everyone just puts out for you and this one hasn’t.”

I smirk, if she only knew!

“Oh my God, I don’t want to know.”

“Dal, I’m telling her,” I raise my hand
when she goes to interrupt me, “and I’ll ask her to keep it to herself, which I
know she will no matter how pissed she might get at me. But it’s the only way
to stop her from misunderstanding what goes on between us. You know that
right?” I know this conversation isn’t going to go well, but I certainly wasn’t
expecting to be greeted by silence. “Dal?”

“I don’t know what to say.” She moves
forward and sits on my bed. “We’ve kept it to ourselves for all this time…you
promised.”

I shake my head. “I didn’t promise your
mom. I promised you…Callie means the world to me and I’m not going to sit back
any longer and watch her get on with her life without me in it. So what if word
gets out that you’re really my sister. My sisters are old enough to understand,
even my mom, has moved on from what dad did to her by going with other women.
Honestly, I don’t think it will be too big a surprise to her and I know your
‘dad’ is a bastard so if the shit hits the fan then you can come live here.”

“I’m scared Reece. They’ll hate me.” This
is the reason why I haven’t said anything because of Dal and her fear of being
rejected like her mother did to her, it’s also the reason why I let everyone
think there was something going on between us, but it has to stop – now.

“I’m not going to tell her all the other
shit because that’s your story to tell, but the fact that we share the same
blood has to be told.”

“This is my fault. I need to go with you
and apologize to her…explain.”

“No. I really don’t think that’s a good
idea.” This is so not a good idea considering they didn’t get on to begin with.

“Reece, stop and think. If she doesn’t
believe you or if you screw it up then I’ll be there to confirm what you tell
her… Look, I really want to help, okay. I was a bitch to her because I felt
threatened and yes that is hard to admit, but I’m sorry and I really do want to
help you get her back.”

Oh
fuck!
She has a point, but I really don’t want to
piss Callie off as soon as she sees me. “On one condition.” She meets my eyes,
surprise filling her own at my firm tone. Normally I let Dal walk all over me.
“You stay back at the hotel while I go and see her. I need to try and get her
to listen to me first before I bring you both together again…and we’re having
separate rooms. That isn’t open for discussion. If I’m doing this, I’m doing it
right. Plus I’m really hoping she’ll spend time in my room.”

Dal stands up and starts pacing back and
forth. “You’re an ass, you know that? You can’t go there and expect to get
straight back into her panties. Can’t you spend time with her? Get her to show
you around where she lives without your dick getting some action. God, men!”
She’s really in the swing of things now. “You’re all the same – ruled by
that thing between your legs.”

I smirk. “As though you’d know that,” I
reply, knowing she hasn’t been with anyone. At least, I don’t think she has.
Narrowing my eyes, I ask her, “How do you know that, Dal?”

“Really. You’re asking me if I’ve been
invaded by one of your kind?” She rolls her eyes.

“What the fuck is wrong with you. Can’t you
just answer?”

“I’m not answering a question like that
because it’s none of your business.” She stands with her hands on her hips
looking pissed and ready to punch me, but I can’t stop.

“You know everything about me, sometimes
probably too much so, yes, I want to know if you’ve finally had your cherry
popped.”

“I really want to smack you in the face
right now,” she states.

“Answer the question so we can move on.”

“I hate you right now…and no I haven’t had
my cherry popped, but I read. I read lots thanks to the kindle you bought me,
although I still indulge with the odd paperback.
Ugh!
You happy now, you don’t have to go and beat someone up for
fucking your sister?”

“Jesus Christ. I really don’t want that
image in my head…just go and wait in there.” I wave my hand toward the lounge,
and thankfully she goes.

I shudder because I so do not want the
image of my sisters with a guy. Fuck, I feel sick.

“You’ve gone and done it now,” Phoenix
shoves his way into my bedroom and closes the door behind him while I have no
clue as to what he’s referring to.

“Huh?”

“Callie’s not coming back…as in never.
She’s enrolling at the local college to finish out her courses, but she isn’t
coming back here. And I’ll give you three guesses why, but I can assure you
that you’ll only need one!” He runs his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, Thalia
keeps crying. Have you got any idea how fucking helpless I feel when she
cries?” He sits on the bed, which Dal vacated not even five minutes ago and freezes
when he spots my half packed bag. “You going somewhere?”

“Texas.” I rub the back of my neck. “I
didn’t know she was planning on staying there, but she’s been gone long enough
so I was going to bring her back, after I’ve explained Dal to her and gotten
down on my knees to apologize.” I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’m worried
about her reaction to me. The fact remains I didn’t defend her, regardless of
who Dal is.

Ignoring Phoenix while he stews on what
I’ve just said, I toss a new pair of converse into the bag before zipping it
up. If I’ve forgotten anything then I’ll have to manage because I just want to
get going. The sooner we leave the better.

“I’m not going to tell Thalia what you’re
doing so she doesn’t tell Callie you’re on your way.”

I nod in response and wait for him to leave
before I close my door and head to the kitchen and the notice board where I
write a message to Donovan, telling him I’ll hopefully be back in a few days.
I hope.

I turn to Dal and ask, “You ready to go?”

“Yeah.” She jumps up and grabs her bag, but
stops when faced with a frowning Phoenix.

“Um. She going?” he asks, his hands on his
hips.

“Yeah. She’s going to stay out of the way
unless Callie won’t give me the time of day, in which case she’ll go and
explain everything to her. But hopefully it won’t come to that.”

Phoenix shakes his head. “Thalia told me it
was because of her that sent her running. Did that not happen?”

I sigh. “That kinda happened, but it’s not
what she thinks… Fuck.” I look at Dal, who offers me a small smile with a nod
to her head. “Dal’s my sister,” I say meeting my best friend’s look of
disbelief. “Look it’s no secret about what my dad was like. Ugh. Nobody else
knows, okay. No one in my family – no one and we need to keep it like
that until I can get home to tell my mom, which should be fun.”

“Fuck! I can’t believe you’ve kept that
quiet for all these years… Shit! I’ll keep it to myself, but you need to get
home once you’ve told Callie before it gets back to one of your sisters.
Christ, you know what they’re like.” He starts laughing. “This is so funny.”

I shove him. “There is nothing funny about
this.”

“Yeah, there is, but I’m going to go before
you punch this work of perfection.” Phoenix makes a rapid exit, which is for
the best.

“That went well. I don’t think he believes
us,” Dal states, chewing her bottom lip.

“He believes us,” I walk toward the front
door, “he’s just being an idiot. C’mon, let’s get outta here.”

Callie

I’m a nervous wreck! The hot guy I was expecting
to belong to the sleek, black car that was parked in my parents’ drive belongs
to Creepy Drew. Apparently, he’s been back for the past twelve months and works
for his father’s company, so he’s been doing business with my Dad. If I’m
honest he is kinda hot. Certainly a change from the past. He looks to have
muscle under his clothes and with his dark blonde hair, blue eyes and sexy
grin. I can definitely say that he isn’t as creepy as he used to be. He just
doesn’t seem to have that creepy vibe about him anymore, and when he looks at
me his eyes are different, clearer.

My mom keeps asking me why I won’t take him
up on his offer to take me around town. She’s driving me crazy, so much so that
I’ve been trying to avoid her the best I can. I’ve never admitted to her that
he’s always freaked me out and that he was the reason why I got locked in the
attic as a child.

We are both grown now and young adults, so
maybe he’s changed. I mean his physical appearance has changed and he certainly
seemed different when mom invited him to stay for dinner and then proceeded to
sit him beside me!

But yeah, I’m still nervous around him and
now I know he’s around the property with my dad. My nerves have been dancing
and I’m hiding in my room, not wanting to be caught alone with him because my
mom is out with her ‘lady friends,’ I use the term loosely, because of what
they discuss or even what one or two of them have gotten up to in the past.
Sometimes, I wish I hadn’t spied on my mom’s friends when their get together
took place at our house. But fuck, the stuff they came out with. My sweet mom
talking about sex and stuff. God, it made me shudder in disgust. I mean it’s
okay for me to have hot sex and stuff, but my mom and dad. That’s just, eww.

Thump,
thump.

Oh, shit. I freeze. Someone’s banging on
the front door. Dad said he was taking Drew somewhere on the property, but I
wasn’t paying too much attention. Surely though they couldn’t have finished.
Could they?

Thump,
thump.

I jump from my bed and hiding behind my
curtains peak down…huh. I can’t see anyone although there is a red car parked
up in the driveway. Well at least I know it isn’t Drew, but I’ve no idea who it
is.

Thump,
thump.

Turning from the window, I dash out of my
room and downstairs, knowing, at the very least I’m not going to be caught
alone with him.

Not bothering to look through the glass
beside the door, I pull it open and come face to face with my current
heartache.

We just stare at the other. Neither of us
moving. My eyes travel over him a few times to make sure he’s really standing
in front of me – and he is.
What’s
he doing here?
I meet his gaze, which nearly floors me. My whole body is
frozen in place.

“Callie,” he whispers, moving forward he
takes hold of my face in a caress and rests his forehead against mine before
closing his eyes and inhaling. He opens his eyes and says, “I’ve missed you.”
His voice quivers. “God, Callie.” He kisses my forehead before letting me go,
although, with how slowly he removes his hands I’d say he removes them
reluctantly.

I clear my throat and step back. “What are
you doing here?” I ask, wrapping my arms around my stomach while I try not to
let him see how happy I am to see him. My happiness pisses me off after
everything he’s done.

“I need to talk to you… To explain.” He rubs
his neck, which I’ve noticed he does when he’s nervous or frustrated.

“Haven’t you said enough already?” I
counter.

“Dal’s my sister,” he blurts out.

I can’t believe he’d stoop so low. “Are you
for real? Your sister? Really? Oh my God, Reece. You must think I’m an idiot.”

“What. No. Callie. I’m serious. My dad and
her mom… Please let me in.”

He sounds too real for it to be a lie, but
why the secret?

“Okay.” I step back and let him shut the
door behind him, but not before I catch Drew in the distance watching us.

Creepy
. Despite the looks and the different air around him, Drew is
definitely still creepy.

“C’mon.” I lead him upstairs and to my room
because it’s the only room in the house where we’re guaranteed privacy. I’m
twenty-two so I have an agreement with my parents. Basically, I can have anyone
I want in my room, male or female, for as long as I want, but I’ve not to have
sex in my room. Yeah, I rolled my eyes at that one. Mainly because I was
thinking “as if.” At the time I didn’t have a boyfriend, let alone anyone
interested. But I’ve no interest in having sex with Reece in my room or
anywhere else for that matter.

Okay, I’m lying. I’ve missed him more than
I thought I would considering we hadn’t spent that much time together before he
screwed it up, again.

Walking into my bedroom, I quickly glance
around to make sure nothing has been left out. I’m not the neatest of people
and have a bad habit of leaving clean clothes out when the housekeeper gives
them to me to put away. I certainly don’t want my panties lying around the
room.

“Nice.”

I turn to look at him. “Yeah, it is… Reece,
sit down, you’re making me nervous.”

He pauses for a minute before walking over
to my closet and dropping to the floor he straightens his legs out in front of
him and rests his head against the door behind him.

“It’s good to see you,” he tells me before
clearing his throat. “I told Dal I was coming here to tell you the truth
because I’m hoping the truth will make you forgive me for being a dick. I’ve
screwed up more than once with you and this time was just so fucking screwed
up.” He rubs his neck, again. “Ah, okay from the beginning. Dal overheard her
mom and dad shouting about who her father really was. She was thirteen. When
her mom shouted my dad’s name Dal came over to my house ready to do what, I
don’t know, but she ended up telling me what she’d overheard. So, I confronted
my dad. He was shocked at first, but then he got all cocky and told me I didn’t
know what I was talking about. It’s been hard living with the knowledge of what
Dal is to my family. Yes, she’s my sister, but she’s also my dad’s guilty
secret. We decided to keep it to ourselves and I guess it’s just become second
nature not to speak out about it.”

Wow, I certainly wasn’t expecting that kind
of explanation. I can see how hard that was to tell me with his uneven
breathing. He’s upset. God, all I want to do is walk to where he’s sitting,
climb onto his lap and wrap my arms around him. I’ve missed him so much. But
until I know why he didn’t defend me, I can’t do that. It hurt more than I can
say.

“Callie, please say something.” He holds
his hand out to me before dropping it back down to his lap.

“Doesn’t your mom know? Surely after all
this time.” I wrap my arms tighter around my waist.

He shakes his head. “She doesn’t…at least I
don’t think she does. My mom isn’t the strongest of people, and when I found
out about Dal’s parentage was around the time my dad left. I think it would
have finished my mom off finding out about Dal. I was pissed at first and
blamed her, but once I’d calmed down and realized what her home life was like,
I realized none of it was her fault. So we became friends. Donovan knows, he
said he overheard me on the phone with Dal. Apparently he overheard us talking
at some point, but decided to keep it to himself and I told Phoenix as I was
leaving to come down here.”

And I grumble about my parents being over
protective, but what must their lives have been like growing up. That’s so sad.

I’m starting to get a headache with
everything, first trying to hide and stressing over Drew and now taking in the
hot guy who holds my heart and what he’s telling me. But I still need an
answer, so I ask, “Why didn’t you defend me to her? She said some hateful
things and you agreed.” I swipe a tear from my cheek without looking away.

He sighs. “Will you let me hold you while I
try and explain. I really need you in my arms right now.” Laughing, he looks
toward the window in embarrassment.

I can always pull away right? If I don’t
like what he has to say. Standing up, I walk over to him, which has his eyes
back on me as he watches me get closer and closer to him. Instead of sitting
beside him, I straddle his legs and make myself comfortable on his lap as he
pulls me against him. I rest my face against his chest and breathe him in. All
man – chocolate and spice mixed into one and he’s all mine…or he was.
Maybe…

“I don’t really know what to say other than
I’m more sorry than you’ll ever know. Not just for standing there and letting
Dal trash you like she did, but for what I said outside the club. I didn’t mean
any of it. I was seething inside while I listened to her going on and on about
you, but I was also angry with myself because I’d already let Dal talk me into
spending the following day with her on my bike, when I wanted to spend it with
you. So instead of saying anything in your defense I just stayed silent beating
myself up for being a dick and not thinking things through before agreeing to
stuff.”

He tangles his fingers in my hair and tilts
my face up to meet his eyes. “I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want you,
but in the past there’s never been anyone to think about but myself. I was
feeling guilty about that and I’d had enough of her going on, so I just agreed,
because I thought it would be easier. The thing is, I wasn’t planning on doing
that, I was going to talk you into coming back to my place and shoving Dal onto
the sofa and you in with me. But that kinda got screwed up when you overheard
her and then me.”

He bends and gives me a gentle kiss on the
lips before pulling away and searching my eyes. “I’m sorry I hurt you Callie
that wasn’t my intention.”

I wrap my arms around him and rest my face
against his shoulder, inches away from his ear. If I wanted to I could stick my
tongue out and lick his ear, which usually gives him an instant woody, but that
will have to wait for a few minutes.

I’ve missed him so much and want to believe
everything can go back to how it was, but I really don’t think it can. “Reece,
I understand that Dal is your sister, and, well, family always comes first. But
I can’t be with you if you’ll always be agreeing and going off with her without
a thought to me or my feelings.” I slap my hand over his mouth when he goes to
speak. “Please let me finish. I want to be with you and I know I sound like I
want you to always put me first, but that’s not it. I’d just like you to at
least think about me before going off making plans or whatever if I’m going to
be your girl because I’ll always think about you before making mine. Does this
make sense?”

He kisses me again, quickly, which is
starting to annoy me because I want more – a lot more.

“It makes sense and if you’re my girl then
it’s to be expected. Callie, I told you before that I’m going to mess this up
basically because I haven’t done it before, but when I do in the future please
don’t run. Tell me what I’ve done wrong okay and I’ll try not to be pissed when
you do.”

I start to laugh. Only Reece could try and
mend bridges by telling me he’s going to screw up.

“Will you be honest with me from now on?”
He nods his head.

“Will you think about me before making any
decisions that might piss me off?” He grins, but nods his head. “Will you stand
up for me against Dal?”

His hand freezes in the middle of my back,
where it came to rest as he was caressing me. “Dal, wants to apologize. She
admits she was jealous that my attention was on you. In fact, she’s come here
with me. I left her at the hotel. She was kind of backup.” I raise my head to
look at him. “If you wouldn’t listen to me, she was going to tell you. She
really is sorry Callie and I want you both to be friends. I realize that’s
probably going to take time because of what she said, but will you try?”

My first impression of Dal isn’t one of
friendship, more like that of enemies. But if she’s willing to try again then I
guess I am. “Okay. I’ll try if she’s willing to.”

“She is… Will you let me kiss you? I’m
starving.”

I nod and get shivers right down to my toes
when he slides his hands through my hair to cup the back of my head. I wiggle
around in his lap to try and get closer to him, and feel the growing hardness
between us. He growls and brings my face closer to him, a breath between us.

“Callie, you up there?”

Fuck!

I pull back slightly.

“Who is it?”

“Creepy Drew.”
Damn
. “I mean a neighbor.”

I scramble off Reece’s lap and hold my hand
out to help him up from the floor.

“Callie?”

Turning quickly to Reece, I say, “Don’t
leave me alone with him. I’ll explain later.” I reach up and throw my arms
around his neck before sealing his lips with mine.

What started out as a quick kiss turns into
so much more the minute our tongues meet. His arms go around me, holding me
tight against him while my body starts to go up in flames. God, I’ve missed his
taste and the feel of his hard body against mine.